,
then, has had a cause, an Author.

II. This Author of the universe, if he had not in himself the reason of
his existence, must also have it in others, and these again in others.
Consequently, we must either suppose an endless progression of causes
and effects, which is repugnant to reason, or arrive at last at a Being
existing by and of himself,--that is to say, one who owes not his
existence to others, and has caused all other things to exist;--and in
that case, the reason of his existence must be part of his _own_ essence
and nature, and, consequently, inseparable from him and indestructible.
The Author of the universe is then a Being necessary and eternal; and as
to Him all things owe their existence, it follows that through Him they
began to exist, and He created them from nought.

III. He, who could create all from nought, has a power without limits,
and nothing is to Him impossible; He, who has given existence to all
things, has also ordained the laws to which they are subject; He, who
has ordained at His will the laws of nature, has also the power of
changing or suspending them at His will; and lastly, He, who caused all
things to exist, can alone keep them in existence, governing and
directing them with ceaseless providence; and such continual action
implies, of necessity, that He should know everything, that nothing
should be hidden from Him, and that in Him error should be impossible.
The Author of the universe is then omnipotent, free, all-provident,
omniscient, and infallible.

IV. Again, whoever attentively contemplates the universe cannot help
discovering, with admiration, in every part of it a stupendous art, a
constant order, a systematic correspondence of means to ends, which
demonstrate that all has been arranged on a predetermined plan and for a
fixed purpose, to which all the particular dispositions developed in the
course of the natural phenomena are exquisitely adapted. This order and
this harmony--which manifest themselves, also, in all the progressive
courses of nature--indicate a self-developing excellence, and a tendency
to an ever-increasing perfectibility, such as can only emanate from a
cause infinitely intelligent and good; and as such qualities cannot be
attributed to a being corporeal, because limited and subject to changes,
it follows that the Author of the universe is all-wise and good, pure
and immutable.

V. Now, this Being, necessary and eternal, whom the contemplation